Chapter 277: An Outsider in the Brooks Household
Reese’s gaze narrowed, suspicion flickering in her eyes as she absorbed his words. “So, you’re implying that there’s something amiss about my past?” she questioned. Kenneth’s audacious demeanor suggested the unthinkable that she might not be his biological offspring. And what about her grandmother? If Reese was not a true Brooks, then why had the elderly woman nurtured her all these years? Reese might have harbored disdain for the Brooks family, but her grandmother was the one person she cherished. Despite the absence of a blood bond, her grandmother had raised her with love and care, imparting invaluable life lessons. Reflecting on this stirred a sense of loss within Reese.Kenneth observed Reese’s silence her mind evidently lost in a whirlpool of thoughts. He was no fool. Her emotions were as clear as day, not even remotely veiled he could see right through her. Seizing the opportunity, he decided to strike while the iron was hot.“Reese,” he began, “you’ve grown under your grandmother’s nurturing care, and she has invested her life in you. Would you consider helping us, for her sake Assisting them was not a Herculean task for Reese. It was as simple as uttering a few words, making a single phone call. Snapping out of her contemplation, her expression morphed into one of icy detachment. “Alright,” she declared, her voice laced with an improbable yet contagious confidence, “but only if you’re honest with me. To prove my point, give me two hours, and I could bring Brooks Enterprises to the brink of bankruptcy. Her defiant eyes contradicted the absurdity of her claim, yet there was something about her unyielding spirit that made one believe she could indeed accomplish it.Kenneth didn’t have the luxury to dwell on the absurdity of the situation. He resolved to disclose everything he knew to Reese. He had once thought having a daughter was an asset, someone who would stand by the family, regardless of her marital status.Who could have predicted that the reality would be the polar opposite? She seemed hell–bent on driving their family business into the ground. What kind of game was she playing?Collecting his thoughts, he finally broke his silence.“Reese, you’re not my biological daughter. Your mother brought you into the Brooks household. At that time, our family was financially strained. We needed an influx of capital, and your mother brought a substantial amount with her when she requested me to take you two -in. Reese had braced herself for all sorts of revelations – perhaps her mother had been unfaithful to Kenneth, or maybe Reese was brought into the family after her mother’s previous marriage, or even that she was found by her grandmother and taken in due to Kenneth’s lifelong aversion to her.But this revelation was unexpected Swallowing her emotions, her face straining to maintain composure, she managed a nonchalant, “Then what?““Your mother and you moved in with the Brooks family. It was your mother’s money that revived Brooks Enterprises. I grew fond of her over time, and we became a couple. But as the years passed, I couldn’t shake off the feeling that you weren’t my blood. When I confronted your mother about your origins, she remained silent. There were times when she would return home late, and I suspected she might have been seeing someone else, possibly your biological father.” “Despite my attempts, whether gentle persuasion or direct confrontation, your mother remained tight–lipped. Later, I married Nancy. The rest, as they say, is history.“Reese felt as if a stone had been hurled into the tranquil pond of her heart, sending ripples of shock, melancholy, and loss spreading outwards, rendering her speechless.Nancy, who had been eavesdropping, couldn’t resist commenting with a hint of admiration, “It was indeed generous of Grandma to raise a child that wasn’t her own to this extent.” “Reese,” Nancy pleaded, desperation seeping into her voice, even though you’ve just discovered that you’re not a true Brooks, you were raised by Grandma. After everything she’s done for you, helping us should be a no–brainer, right?“Reese’s sharp intellect didn’t miss the hidden agenda in Nancy’s words. Despite the situation, Nancy had the audacity to make such a request.“You guys are something else,” Reese retorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Always looking out for your own interests.““It’s just common sense,” Nancy shot back, unfazed. “Grandma raised you, after all, and she’s family. And let’s face it, you haven’t exactly been giving back to the Brooks clan. Now we’re just asking you to put in a good word with Mr. Flynn to get him off our company’s back. Is that really too much to ask?“Dahlia Brooks was far more audacious now, knowing Reese wasn’t a true Brooks by blood. She thought, without the backing of her birth family, Reese would surely falter relying solely on her in–laws. Besides, within the Flynn circle, aside from Malcolm and that Alyssa girl who adored her, no one really cared for Reese. What did she have to be so high and mighty about?With a chilling glance, Reese shot Dahlia a look that sent shivers down her spine–a look so commanding it made Dahlia ll I refresh your involuntarily shrink back.“Remember Grandma now, do you?” Reese’s tone was icy. “Seems like you’ve all forgotten how quick you were to cast Grandma and me out, how you left us to fend for ourselves. Have you all developed amnesia, or memory?“Nancy and Kenneth’s faces fell. If only they had known Reese would become so influential, they won’t be groveling before her now, dealing with such a headache.Words were already exchanged, and promises made. If Reese didn’t agree to help, their earlier entreaties would have been in vain.Realizing that Reese, now aware of her true lineage, could only turn colder towards them, Kenneth had no choice but to treat her with the reverence of an elder.With a forced smile, Kenneth approached her. “Reese, can we let bygones be bygones? For Grandma’s sake, who cared for you, too, help us out just this opee. All it would take is a sweet word or two. Mr. Flynn adores you, I’m sure he would comply.” “Once you experience the kind of love only a grandmother can give, it sticks with you. I remember one bitterly cold winter day, we had nothing, not even enough money for basic needs, and Grandma came knocking on your family’s door. She knelt there for hours, hoping for some help. You gave her just enough to buy some pastries, but Grandma, she wouldn’t touch them – she gave it all to me, “Just the memory of that incident was enough to make Reese’s blood boil with a mix of hatred and a burning desire for retribution.
Fall in Love with the Dominant Billionaire
